Democrat Bakari Sellers says Bernie Sanders can’t reach black voters

During a CNN discussion on Bernie Sanders and the campaign for 2020, former Democratic state legislator Bakari Sellers told State of the Union host Jake Tapper that the Vermont socialist senator does appear able to reach black voters.

“[Sanders is] also emphasizing his commitment to the civil rights movement way back in the ’60s when he was at the University of Chicago,” Tapper said. “He was criticized last time for not connecting effectively with the African-American community. Is this part of what he needs to do to get the nomination?”

“I think that Bernie Sanders has a long way to go,” Sellers said, then added “There’s a certain part of me that believes that ship has already sailed.”

“I mean, it’s not the fact that Bernie Sanders marched with Dr. King in the ’60s,” he continued. “I think that was one of the first things that he said. The question was, where have you been and what have you done since then. Where has your activism been since the ’60s, and show me your legislation as mayor of Burlington or why you’ve been in the United States House or United States Senate to positively affect change in the African-American community. And he wasn’t able to articulate that answer.”

Sellers also observed that Sanders’ 2020 bid “was a home for people who had a problem with Hillary Clinton,” but that this time around, “there are other people in this quote, unquote, ‘progressive lane,’ and I think that Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Beto [O’Rourke], [Joe] Biden and Sherrod Brown and a few others are really out there running magnificent campaigns.”

photo/ donkeyhotey

About the Author

Brandon Jones - Writer and Co-Founder of The Global Dispatch, Brandon has been covering news, offering commentary for years, beginning professionally in 2003 on Crazed Fanboy before expanding into other blogs and sites.
Appearing on several radio shows, Brandon has hosted Dispatch Radio, written his first novel (The Rise of the Templar) and completed the three years Global University program in Ministerial Studies to be a pastor.
To Contact Brandon email [email protected] ATTN: BRANDON

This website uses cookies to provide you with the best browsing experience.

Find out more or adjust your settings.

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

disable

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.